


The Trouble with Us

by roane



Category: Star Wars (Marvel Comics), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Banter, Communication Failure, F/M, Falling In Love, First Time, Minor Leia Organa/Han Solo, Slow Burn, past Luke Skywalker/Biggs Darklighter, past Luke Skywalker/Nakari Kelen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-03 02:28:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8692855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roane/pseuds/roane
Summary: Sana Starros has two rules: always get paid, and don't get involved. Hanging around the Alliance waiting for Han Solo to pay her breaks rule number one. And if she doesn't take off soon, Luke Skywalker is going to make her break rule number two. In a big, big way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_welsh_woman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_welsh_woman/gifts).



> This pairing is a thing of immense beauty in the comics, here's hoping for canon! Thanks to the_welsh_woman for being my Luke/Sana enabler. :)

Sana Starros had one rule. Just one. Okay, no, two. One: always get paid. And two: _don’t get involved_.

The only time she had ever found herself in a truly tight spot had been when she’d broken one of those rules. So that just left one question.

_What the hell was she still doing here?_

She’d tracked down Han. Okay granted, he still hadn’t paid her, but it had been long enough now that it was time to cut bait and move on. Hanging around waiting for him to fork over what he owed her was a stupid business model.

Actually, any business model that relied on Han Solo was a stupid business model.

The _Volt Cobra_ had needed some repairs after their little adventure with the _Harbinger_. But those were almost finished now.

(And hey, Sana, how the hell did you get roped into helping the Alliance steal a star destroyer anyway?)

She was pretty sure she knew the answer to that question, and the answer to why she was still hanging around. The answer was currently buried head-first in the _Cobra’s_ guts, had a pair of big blue eyes that made her act stupid, and absolutely kriffing _shattered_ rule number two.

“I found it!” came the voice from inside her ship. “Ha! The power coupling’s fried.” The feet sticking out of the maintenance hatch started to wriggle, and slowly the blond-haired, blue-eyed bane of Sana’s existence came into view. He popped up, smudge of grease on his nose, grinning like he’d just won a prize. 

If she was smart, she’d get the hell out of here before it was too late.

It was probably already too late. 

“Give me about another half an hour, and I can get it fixed,” Luke said. “You have any replacement couplings around?”

Her fingers itched with the urge to wipe the grease off his nose. “Yeah, I do, hang on.”

“Great! It’s an easy fix, just needed to track down the problem in the first place.” He leaned against the bulkhead, wiping the grease from his hands with a rag and smiling like this was the highlight of his day. 

She went back to the _Cobra’s_ storage compartments and grabbed the needed parts. Luke was a hell of a pilot—figured he’d have a knack for ship repair too. But his skills weren’t the most interesting thing about him.

How did he manage to be so hopeful and optimistic when they were floating out in the middle of nowhere in a battered convoy of ships with no real place to call home? What was it he’d said when they’d been out patrolling together? He’d called the rebellion his family. Sana couldn’t fight the small warm glow that came with the realization that he now probably included her on that list. Even if she wasn’t part of his rebellion.

He’d saved her life, after all. 

Once or twice since then, she’d woken up in her bunk on the _Cobra_ in a cold sweat, her right wrist aching with the remembered pressure around it where Luke had snagged her just in the nick of time. In her dreams, he missed. And she went plummeting after the stormtrooper who’d tried to kill her. 

He hadn’t acted any different afterward, just the same sunny smile, like lifesaving and last-second rescues were all part of an ordinary day. And hell, he was a Jedi—sort of—maybe that _was_ an ordinary day.

“Hey Sana,” his voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “You doing okay?”

She’d lingered too long, caught in her own thoughts, and he’d followed her into the storage area. “Me? Yeah, I’m fine. Just wanna get this girl up and running again. I need to get out of here before I get roped into some other crazy scheme of yours.” She smiled in spite of herself, maybe to soften her words.

In the meantime, his smile faded a little. “Yeah. I guess you’ve got places to go, things to do. I was kinda hoping that…” He stopped himself and shrugged sheepishly.

She relented. “Hey kid, come here.” 

He came closer. Funny, up close he was smaller than he seemed, just a hair shorter than her, and slender. His presence made him seem bigger, maybe. Sana took the cloth from his hand and wiped at the grease on his nose. Their eyes met as she cleaned him up, and she fought the urge to touch his face with her fingertips. 

“I hate the Empire,” she said quietly, “but don’t start thinking I’m here for your rebellion. I don’t know what you people did to Han, but he always was a soft touch for lost causes. As soon as I get what I need, I’m out of here.”

“I know that.” His voice was as soft as hers, as if neither one of them wanted to be overheard. As if they were sharing a secret.

Belatedly, she realized that the grease spot was gone, and she lowered her hand. Neither one of them moved at first, his bright blue eyes fixed on her face as if he were reaching some decision or another. Well, she wasn’t going to wait for his conclusion. She shoved the rag back into his hand and turned away.

“Thanks for helping with the ship,” she said.

“Anytime.”

As she was headed for the hatch, he called to her, “Sana?”

“Yeah, kid?” She turned. It was safe now, to look at him at this distance.

“It’s not, you know.”

“Huh?”

“A lost cause,” he said. “The Alliance. We’re going to win. We’ll win even faster if we’ve got some more good pilots like you on our side.”

“Yeah, well, if I see any, I’ll send them your way.” Sana turned and left before he could answer.

#

“Sana! Thought you were leavin’?” Han called out as Sana slinked past. Or tried to. The hangar was crowded with rebel pilots in orange and techs hurrying after them, but Han still spotted her. She turned and folded her arms, watching him hurry to her.

“I am,” she answered. “Kid just helped me fix the last problem with the _Cobra_ —which was your fault, by the way. You owe me some parts. And the rest of that money.”

“Give it up, Starros. Whatever you think I owe you, you’re wrong. And if you’re hanging around waiting for me to pay you, you’re gonna be here for a while.”

“I can wait.” Just like that, she decided to stay a little longer. Sooner or later she’d manage to pester Han into paying her. Maybe it wasn’t smart, but it was a matter of principle now.

Han cocked at eyebrow at her and smiled, and ugh, she’d forgotten how much she hated that look. That was the look he always wore when he thought he had something on someone, when he thought he’d figured something out that no one else had. Smug and knowing. Sana figured that as many times as he’d been wrong, eventually he’d stop being smug, but here was proof that Han Solo never learned.

“I know the real reason you wanna stay,” Han announced.

“You do,” she said dryly. For a split second, she wondered if maybe he did, maybe this was one of those rare occasions when he finally read her right.

“It’s the princess. She’s getting to you, isn’t she.” When Sana didn’t answer, he grinned wider and pointed a finger at her. “Ehh? She is! She’s gonna rope you into this crazy damned war of hers and you’re gonna wind up wrapped around her little finger.”

Sana’s laugh rang out through the hangar. Sometimes when Han was wrong, he was deliciously, hilariously wrong. “Sure, Solo. You nailed it.”

“You laugh, but I know you, Sana. I know your type. You like ‘em feisty and reckless.”

She absolutely was not thinking about the type of man who’d throw himself into a ship he’d never piloted before, or who’d fight his way past a handful of stormtroopers just to save her ass at the last second with what was—in hindsight—a pretty clever quip.

“Sorry, Han, even if you were right—and hoo boy, you’re not—your Princess has eyes elsewhere. I’d be out of luck.” She grinned and turned away. Let him stew on that a bit.

“Elsewhere? What do you mean elsewhere? Who? Sana!”

She half-expected him to chase her down, but he didn’t, and she just kept going, still smiling.

#

She tried to avoid Luke. She really did. But it was like he kept managing to be wherever she was. The next time was in the canteen. She had just settled down with something approximating an evening meal when he sat across from her with his own tray.

“Okay if I sit here?” he asked. He was in uniform, suggesting he’d either just come off a patrol or was about to head out on one. She never did understand why they all wore fatigues beneath their flight suits—not like they were getting out anywhere along the way.

“Sure.” 

“How’s the _Cobra_ doing?” he asked, starting to eat with the quick, efficient movements of someone who’d had more than a few meals interrupted by one emergency or another.

“Had a couple of test runs with her. Everything seems back to normal.” Her appetite was all over the place. Instead of eating, she couldn’t keep from studying him, caught on the way his hair nearly matched the color of his fatigues.

“So… how much longer do we have you?” He tilted his head up at her and smiled. 

Sana tore her eyes away and looked down at her tray casually. “I’m going to hang around a little longer. Give Solo one more chance to pay up.”

“Uh-huh.” Luke didn’t sound like he believed her. “Doesn’t have anything to do with that big raid we’ve got coming up on Lothal.”

“No, it really doesn’t.” That was true, she’d only heard the faintest whispers about that.

“You know we could use you for that,” he pressed on. “We need you.”

“Kid, I’m trying to eat dinner, can you spare me the recruitment speech that long?”

“Okay, how about after dinner.”

“What?”

“After dinner. Me and you. I’ll try to convince you to join the rebellion, and you try to convince me that you’re really not interested.” He leaned forward, eyes bright, a challenge on his face. “Or are you afraid I’ll win?”

She met his eyes and leaned forward as well. “Kid, there is nothing about you that scares me.”

Luke grinned. “Then prove it.”

There was no real reason for her heart to be pounding as hard as it was. His eyes were on hers and that smirk was just daring her to take him up on his offer. Or his challenge. Whatever it was.

“Fine. You’re on. Finish dinner, flyboy, and we’ll talk.”

After dinner, she was true to her word. They walked through the transport ship side by side, with Luke saying hello to damn near every person they passed. Figured, he was that sort of guy. Several of them gave her a curious look—maybe Luke didn’t go walking around with women that often.

On an unspoken accord, they wound up on the _Cobra_. She didn’t really plan it, but it was as good a place as any. Quiet, private. 

_Private? What the hell, Sana?_

She shoved the thought aside and waved a hand toward the tiny table and bench along the wall. “Have a seat. You want something to drink?” Without waiting for an answer, she snagged two glasses and a bottle of whiskey, opting for something better than the rotgut she kept on hand for emergencies.

“No, I—” Luke said, cut off by the glass clunking in front of him. She poured anyway.

“Drink it or don’t,” she said, then poured some in her glass and sat down next to him. She took a gulp to fortify herself, grimacing as the heat made its way through her chest. “All right, kid. Give me your sob story.”

Everyone in the Alliance had one, as far as she knew. The difference was… she was actually kinda curious about his.

“It’s not about my sob story.” Luke eyed the glass dubiously, then picked it up and took a sip. “It’s not about any one person’s sob story. It’s bigger than that.”

Sana leaned her elbow on the table, and rested her chin in her hand. “Humor me. How’d a kid from Tatooine wind up mixed up in all this?”

Luke shrugged, his eyes moving away from hers as he took another, longer drink. “The Empire, same as everyone else. Took one thing too many from me.” 

“And the Jedi thing?” It wasn’t that she was unsympathetic, but he clearly wasn’t going to give her more detail than that. Which, as talkative and frank as he normally was, was telling enough. Whatever he’d gone through, it had been bad.

That brought out a sad little grin, tilted her way with an edge of wry humor that made him look older than he was. “Would you believe an old man in the desert handed me a lightsaber and said I had a destiny?”

Sana laughed. “No.”

The shrug again, but this time he didn’t look away. “I know how it sounds, but that’s the truth. I grew up not far from one of the last Jedi, and he took me under his wing.”

“I thought Jedi training took years,” she said, trying to remember what little history had survived the Empire’s purges. “Where is he?”

His only answer was to drain his glass. Damn. Now she felt guilty about joking that he was a bad Jedi.

She reached for his hand, unaware that she was going to until the warmth of his hand was beneath hers. “I’m sorry.” Not knowing what else to do, she poured more whiskey into his glass. 

“He was a good man. A lot of good men have died.” The way he said it, she felt sure he was thinking of someone in particular. Someone other than his Jedi mentor.

There was nothing for her to say. She started to draw her hand back, suddenly self-conscious about touching him, but lightning-quick, his hand turned beneath hers and caught her, his fingers curling around hers. When she looked up, his eyes were on her with an intensity that hit her like a blaster shot to the gut, knocking the breath out of her.

“It’s not about our sob stories, Sana. It’s about making sure there aren’t any others.”

She gave a puzzled shake of her head.

He covered their joined hands with his free hand, and she was trapped beneath the warmth of his palms. It radiated up her arm with the same feeling as the whiskey burning through her chest. “It’s not about revenge,” he clarified. “It’s about protection. Prevention. Stopping the Empire from destroying any more worlds, any more species, any more families.”

From anyone else, she’d hear that and think they were just pretty, empty words. Not about revenge? She’d bet her next payday that the princess wouldn’t mind a little revenge for her home planet. Or Chewie, for the disaster that was Kashyyyk. Or Han for… well, she knew better than most what he’d experienced at the hands of the Empire.

But here was this… this kid ( _is he a kid, Sana? is he really?)_ with his open face and his sincere eyes… and she believed he meant what he said. How did anybody get through a couple of years of running and hiding, of guerilla warfare, of having a price on his head that could finance someone a nice little lifestyle for a long time—how did anybody get through that and still smile like he smiled, and still insist that it wasn’t about revenge?

She found herself hoping against hope that nothing in the years to come, nothing in the hopeless war ahead of him, stripped that from him. Because Empire or no, the galaxy needed more people like Luke Skywalker.

And damned if he didn’t have her half-convinced to sign up. This was not going to end well, not for either of them. She withdrew her hand from his on the pretense of refilling her glass—like she needed two hands for that.

She hated herself for what she was about to say. “That’s noble of you, Luke, but not all of us can afford that kind of nobility. Some of us are just trying to get by.”

Instead of looking disappointed, Luke just smiled. “I know. That’s why the ones who can, do it for the ones who can’t.” She couldn’t tell by looking at him which category he felt she belonged to. His smile widened. “Guess that means I haven’t quite convinced you yet?”

Sana shook her head. “Sorry, kid.”

“Just wait. I’ll get you yet.”

Something about the way he said it, or maybe it was the look in his eye—were they still talking about the Alliance here? Not from the way his eyes were on hers, not from that slightly-crooked grin. He was flirting. 

Sana raised her eyebrows and her glass, taking a sip of the whiskey and letting it burn through her again before giving him a little smile of her own. “You’re welcome to keep trying. Older and wiser men than you have failed, though.”

Luke slid out of his seat and drained his glass a second time. “Thanks for the drink, and for hearing me out.”

She rose to follow him, and walked him to the _Cobra’s_ hatch. “Anytime.” And she meant it.

Before he walked down the gangway, he leaned in close to her as if about to tell her a secret. His eyes shone with mischief. “Han is older than me, Sana, but he’s sure as hell not wiser.” His eyes flickered to hers and for a heartstopping moment she thought he was going to kiss her—but then he turned and left the ship.

#

She didn’t sleep well that night. Not even after another glass of whiskey. She tossed and turned on the narrow bunk on the _Cobra_ and realized there was only one conclusion for her to make. 

If she was serious about not getting involved, she had to leave. Now.

_You’re running away_.

She was, and she had no shame about it. Smugglers weren’t known for their valor, and she wasn’t going to be at the vanguard of a new trend.

With that thought, and with Luke’s voice still sounding in her ears ( _I’ll get you yet_ ), Sana fell into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning after a quick cup of caf, she headed straight to the ship’s command center, certain that she’d find already Leia there.

Leia nodded in greeting. They were probably never going to be the best of friends, but after their experiences at Sunspot Prison, they at least respected each other, even trusted. A little.

“You’re up early, Sana.”

“Well… I’ve got a lot to do today.” She paused, then dove in. “Time for me to go, Your Highness. Solo’s not going to pay up, and it’s high time I went off in search of more lucrative pastures.”

“I’m sure Han will be relieved,” Leia said wryly, and they traded smiles.

“Yeah, well I’m not doing it for him.”

“No, I didn’t think he was the reason you were in a hurry to go.”

“Of course he’s not. I told you, I need to make some money, and fast.”

Leia glanced around the command room, then gently pulled Sana aside to a quieter corner. “It’s not about money. If it were, you could have turned any of us in for the Empire’s bounty at any time. Luke’s bounty alone could probably set you up for a very long time.”

It took an act of will for Sana not to react at the mention of Luke’s name. “Listen, you may not like me that much, but I would never do that to Luke.”

“No, I know you wouldn’t.” And then she smiled.

Sana put her hands on her hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s not his bounty that interests you.” Now the princess was positively smirking.

“Wait. Are you suggesting that me… and Luke…” Sana laughed, hoping she was doing her best _don’t be ridiculous_ laugh.

“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time together lately. And I’ve seen the look on his face when your name comes up.”

The part of her that still remembered the adolescent girl she’d been wanted to clutch Leia’s arm and demand details. _What look??_ The part of her that was an adult just rolled her eyes. “Since when did you get so observant about anybody’s love life, Princess?”

Now it was Leia’s turn to look defensive. “What are you talking about?”

Sana just smiled. “If you don’t know, I’m not going to spell it out for you. Take care of yourself, Leia.” She tipped her a jaunty salute and left the command center. 

And nearly walked right into the one person she wanted to avoid more than anyone else.

Luke was moving at a jog down the corridor, orange flight suit on and helmet under his arm. That astromech of his was moving at a fast clip behind him. She waved, expecting him to continue on to the hangar—since that was clearly where he was going. 

Unfortunately for her, Luke was starting to form a habit of confounding her expectations. “Sana, hey!” He had that sunshine-bright smile on, the one that couldn’t be remotely faked. “Hang on a minute, Artoo.” The astromech stopped. “Where are you off to so early?”

“Needed to talk to Leia,” Sana said. “Don’t let me keep you, you look like you’re in a hurry.”

Luke’s smile faded. “What were you talking to Leia about?”

“It’s nothing.”

“You’re leaving.” The way his face fell, Sana felt like she’d just kicked a baby nerf. He tried to smile, and that was almost worse. “Thought you said I could keep trying to win you over.”

“Luke…” _This is not going to work._

“Sana.” He spoke urgently, interrupted by Artoo’s excited beeping. “I know, Artoo, hang on. Sana, promise me you won’t leave until I get back.”

“I’m not taking off in the next few minutes.”

“Good. I’ll be on patrol for a few hours, but then I’ll be back. Don’t leave. Please.” He looked her in the eye. “Give me one more chance.”

_Kid, I’ll give you as many chances as it takes._ She stopped herself from saying it out loud. Seven hells, that was why she needed to leave. Luke Skywalker was a trap, a sweet, clever, beautiful trap. Instead she swallowed and said, “Okay. I’ll be here when you get back.” 

“Great.” Before Luke could say anything else, the astromech gave a series of impatient beeps and whistles. “Okay, Okay, Artoo. Sorry,” he said to Sana, “we’re late. I’ll find you when I get back.”

This was probably a terrible idea, but she was going to do it anyway.

#

Sana spent the time still prepping the _Volt Cobra_ for a long trip. She hadn’t decided where to go first. There were several options. She could start on Nar Shaddaa, see if there wasn’t a job or two she could pick up there. Somewhere that would take her far far away from anything to do with the Rebel Alliance.

She was pushing a gravlifter full of supplies up the _Cobra’s_ ramp when Luke reappeared. “Hey, let me help you with that.” 

Before she could answer, he was at her side, helping her push. He’d changed out of his uniform into the sort of unofficial off-duty attire most pilots wore, practical pants and boots, a collarless shirt, and he was wearing that awful yellow jacket he favored—apparently nobody had the heart to tell him it was a terrible color. He smelled like soap and the hair at the nape of his neck curled damply. There was an unexpected tenderness to that, and it tugged in her chest.

Luke helped her stow away the new supplies without saying much of anything. When they were finished, he looked around the cargo hold. “Looks like you’re planning a long trip.”

“Thanks to you, helping me pin down that last issue in the _Cobra’s_ guts.”

The smile on his face was crooked and pained. “Damn me anyway.”

“Kid…”

“Shh. Just listen to me for a minute.” Luke took both of her hands in his, and she was reminded of the warmth they’d shared earlier, sitting at her table together, drinking and laughing. “I know you wanna go, and I think—I mean, I get the feeling it might be because of me.” His eyes sought hers out and she got snagged there, unable to look away from him.

“It’s not that—” she tried to lie.

“I like you, Sana. I like you a lot. I guess—I guess I thought you might feel the same way, so maybe I’ve come on a little too strong. But I get it now. You don’t have to leave just to get away from the annoying kid with a crush.” He smiled as he said it, and the tug in her chest turned to a sharp pain. 

“Luke, you’re not—”

“Not annoying? Believe me, you wouldn’t be the first person to think that I am,” he teased. “It’s okay. I’ll back off, all right? Just stay. We really do need you, and I think you want to help us.” He let go of her hands, his chin lifting resolutely. 

“It’s not about your rebellion at all,” she said, feeling helpless.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, I understand everything now.”

He didn’t understand a kriffing thing.

“I won’t bug you. Just… think about what I said, okay?” Luke said. “Stick around?”

He turned to leave. _Say something, girl, tell him he’s wrong, what the hell is wrong with you?_

Sana didn’t say anything. When he was off the ship, she kicked the nearest crate of rations. She wasn’t sure which one of them was dumber, at this point, but she might’ve just taken the lead.


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey kid!” Han yelled as Luke walked away from Sana’s ship. He was perched on top of the _Falcon_ , a pair of safety goggles on top of his head and a toolbox beside him. “Where you headed?”

“Nowhere, really.” Luke put on a smile that was mostly real. He’d done the right thing. He knew that. From the minute Sana had started teasing him, he’d had to fight the urge to follow her around like a lost puppy. She was brave and smart and so beautiful it stole his breath away. He could have spent hours staring at her profile—wanted to!—watching how the light played off her skin, her eyes, her hair. Normally he was good about keeping something like that largely to himself, but he’d overstepped. Made her so uncomfortable, apparently, that she was planning to leave the Alliance. And that was no good.

All he could do now was hold true to his word, and stay away from Sana Starros. 

He veered toward the _Falcon_ , wondering for about the hundredth time what the story was between Han and Sana, anyway. Both of them admitted now that their “marriage” had been a fake, but Luke couldn’t help but feel a small sting of jealousy. Nah, he had to let that go. Sana wasn’t his to be jealous of.

“What are you trying to fix today?” Luke grinned.

“Enh, there’s always something.”

“Need a hand?”

Han sat back on his heels, swiped at his forehead with his arm. “Sure. Chewie’s off somewhere with Leia, I think. I’ll take some help.”

Luke was already starting to climb up before Han had finished speaking. Han slapped a spanner in his hand and pointed a few meters away. “Put your brain to work, kid, there’s a rattle from somewhere over there.”

“You bet.” Luke crossed the _Falcon’s_ hull to the open hatch Han pointed out and sprawled on his belly to get a closer look.

“Did I see you come out of Sana’s ship?” Han asked.

“Yeah,” Luke said carefully. “Helped her load some supplies. I guess she’s going to be taking off soon.”

“She what?” Han dropped the torch he was using and then fumbled after it. “She just told me the other day she was going to stick around.”

Luke focused on the workings of the _Falcon_ and kept his voice casual. “Guess she changed her mind.”

“That ain’t like her. Normally she’s the stubbornest woman I know.” Han paused, as if reconsidering. “Maybe second stubbornest, now.”

Thankfully Luke’s smile was hidden by the _Falcon’s_ hatch. Han might be right, he might not be. A battle of wills between Leia and Sana—that’d be something to see. Luke wasn’t sure which one he’d bet on. His smile faded, though, as he thought about Sana’s reasons for leaving. He hoped she’d change her mind now. Especially if she’d been telling Han she was going to stick around.

“I wonder what got into her,” Han mused.

Luke had a pretty good idea, but if he breathed a word of his interest to Han, he’d never hear the end of it. “I don’t know.” He tried to joke. “I never know what you smugglers are thinking.”

“Usually thinking about the next job. Huh. Wonder if she’s got a line on something.”

“Could be.” Damn, some of the circuitry needed replacing, and Luke wasn’t sure anyone made anything like it anymore—some of the _Falcon’s_ technology was older than he was.

Han suddenly laughed, distracting Luke from ancient diodes. “Could be she’s running too.” He paused. “Ha! I knew it. She gets hung up on somebody, first thing she wants to do is run. I know her.”

Luke froze. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen it a dozen times. Sana doesn’t like feelings. They’re messy. Get in the way. She starts having them, it’s time for her to go.” Han was in his own little world, talking away and didn’t seem to pay attention to Luke’s reaction at all.

“You think—you think she’s having feelings for somebody?” His mouth was suddenly dry.

“Well she ain’t sticking around for her health, kid. And Leia… Leia’s her type.”

“She is?” A lot of things made sense all at once, and Luke’s heart sank.

“And how. Took me forever to figure out why she kept giving me the brush off, but then I saw her walk out of a cantina with a pretty girl on her arm and it all made sense.” Han shook his head. “Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her show any interest in anyone other than women.”

“You think that—that Sana and Leia…?” How had he missed it? 

“Oh hell no,” Han said. “Sana and the Ice Princess? It’d never happen. All the more reason for Sana to bug out as quick as possible.”

Luke made a noncommittal noise. Well, on the one hand, that meant Sana’s lack of interest in him wasn’t personal, but on the other hand… well, there was no getting around that other hand. He changed the subject, remembering the latest gossip he’d heard from the other pilots, picking a topic that would get Han riled up and get him talking so Luke could work in peace, trying to ignore the little ache in his chest.

#

At least Sana didn’t leave, not right away. That was both good and bad. Good—for obvious reasons, but bad because well… Luke couldn’t help replaying Han’s words about Sana and Leia in his head. Despite his best efforts, his eyes were drawn to them whenever they talked, trying to see whatever it was that Han had seen. 

He just didn’t see it. They seemed to be on okay terms, friendly even, but he didn’t see any spark between them at all. Was he willfully not seeing it?

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if Sana was interested in someone else or not. What mattered was that she wasn’t interested in _him_. 

Luke threw himself into his training. Every moment that he wasn’t eating, sleeping, or on patrol, he spent in one of the smaller, more isolated gyms on _Home One_. If he’d learned anything since the destruction of the Death Star, it was that his lightsaber skills were woefully inadequate. Sana had been right about one thing: he wasn’t a very good Jedi. 

He was drenched with sweat and his muscles ached—the only thing that told him that a significant amount of time had passed since he’d started. His mind had been immersed in the Force, working with it, feeling it. It brought with it a deep sense of peace, a time he’d come to look forward to, sore muscles and all. 

It wasn’t until he powered down his lightsaber that he realized he wasn’t alone in the room. Sana was leaning against one of the walls, her arms folded across her chest, a small smile curving her lips.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough. You’ve gotten better even since Nar Shadda,” she said.

Luke went to pick up the training remotes that had dropped to the floor, conscious of being sweat-soaked and probably none-too-fragrant. “As Han would be quick to tell you, ‘good against remotes is one thing.’” He couldn’t help smiling though. “But thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She opened her mouth to say something else, then closed it. Then tried again, “Thank you—for convincing me not to leave right away.”

He thought about Leia and forced himself to smile. “That’s what I do. I’ve got the recruitment speeches, remember?” He picked up his towel and started wiping off his face, startling when he was finished—Sana was standing next to him.

“Luke… about the other day—”

“It’s all right.”

“No, listen to me.” She reached out and took his arm, stopping him from scrubbing at his damp hair. “I want to make sure you understand me, because I think you maybe you don’t.”

Cautiously, he lowered his arms. “Okay. Tell me.”

“Not here. Meet me in the Observation Bay, after dinner?” She met his eyes and wished he could blame the flush creeping up his cheeks on his recent exertions. But exercise didn’t explain the way his stomach flipped when she looked at him. 

Luke nodded. “Yeah. I’ll find you.”

“Good. I’ll be waiting.” She tilted her head and her smile twitched one corner of her mouth. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

“Okay.” Was he hoping too hard, or were these signals getting more mixed?

Then she winked, gave his arm one last squeeze and left him behind, thoroughly confused and with a racing heart.

Luke tried to keep busy for the rest of the day, poking around his X-wing, helping Han with more of the _Falcon’s_ ancient technology, but the day dragged on and on. He got ready for dinner with a little more care than usual, for once irritated at his hair’s unwillingness to lie flat for more than a moment or two at a time. As he was leaving, he started to pick up his jacket and paused, hand on the yellow material. 

He’d worn that jacket since Yavin, and he was fairly certain no one knew why. After destroying the Death Star, he’d worn borrowed clothing for a long time until he had his own. The jacket he still held on to. If anyone wondered why the owner hadn’t reclaimed it, they hadn’t asked. 

Or maybe a few people did know. The color and fit had flattered Biggs better than it ever did him. More than a few of the other pilots had probably seen him wearing it around the Yavin base. 

As much as he thought Biggs would understand… somehow it felt wrong to wear it tonight. 

Luke considered for a moment, weighing grief and guilt in his mind. He picked up the jacket from its customary place on the back of his chair and hung it in his closet. Before closing the closet door, he ran his hand down the cool yellow smoothness of it with some of the same affection he’d once shown its first owner. Then he closed the door.

He took a deep breath, and went to go find Sana. 

#

The Observation Bay was a popular spot for leisure time on _Home One_. Not only did it afford a vast, clear view of wherever they were stationed, but a trick of the acoustics made it nearly impossible to overhear anyone who was more than a few meters away. By plan or by design, there were groups of seating set just far enough away from each other to allow for quiet, private conversations. 

True to her word, Sana was already there and had claimed a spot in front of the transparisteel. Luke had no idea what to expect. After talking to Han, he might’ve expected that she wanted to clear things up, let him down a little easier. Maybe even tell him that despite everything, she was going to stay. But the way she’d looked at him, the way she’d winked… now he didn’t know.

Sana turned and saw him, and smiled. How had he missed how beautiful she was at first? He knew the answer though. At first, she was just a new face who showed up with Leia and Han on Nar Shadda, and they were all much more concerned with getting out of there alive. There was no time for anything else. And then, on board the _Harbinger_ , occasionally there was nothing but time. Luke got to see her for real, not just for her looks but for that wicked sense of humor and that sharp sarcastic streak that made him laugh, yes, but also made him want to stay on the good side of it too.

“There you are,” she said. “Good timing.”

They sat down on the couch together, angling to face each other. Sana leaned her elbow against the back and rested her head against her hand. The only hint that she might be nervous was in the way her fingers fidgeted with one of the thick, twisted locks of her hair. He waited, determined to let her start this however she needed to.

Finally she said, “First thing: I’ve never found you annoying, all right?”

“Never?” Luke couldn’t resist, trying not to smile.

“Okay, not _often_ ,” she conceded, and she didn’t even try to hide her smile. “And not so much lately.”

“Not even when I try to push you to join the Alliance?”

She leveled a look at him. “Look kid, you’re pushing it right now.”

He grinned at her. “Sorry.” He really wasn’t.

“Uh-huh. I need you to understand. I don’t want to leave because of anything you’ve done.” She looked away from him and took a breath. “I don’t—I don’t _do_ this, Luke.”

“Don’t do what?”

Sana still wouldn’t look at him. “I like you,” she said quietly. “But you and I—we can’t—it just wouldn’t—”

“It’s okay.” Impulsively, Luke reached out for the hand resting in her lap and gave it a squeeze. “I know I’m not your type.”

“Not my—where did you get that idea?”

“Han told me that you prefer women.”

Sana stared at him for a minute, then threw her head back and laughed, loud enough to carry even in the hushed Observation Bay. “Is that what he thinks? That egotistical bastard. He thinks that just because I didn’t fall into his bed that means I’ve written off an entire gender?”

Luke wasn’t sure how to describe what he was feeling. He was afraid to label it as ‘hope’. “He thought that you and Leia—”

“ _Leia?_ Of all the delusional—listen, Luke, Han’s so far in love with Leia now he’s thinking everybody else must be too.”

Despite knowing about the relative privacy of the place, Luke couldn’t keep from leaning forward. “Han? And Leia? But they hate each other!”

“Do they?” Sana smiled archly. “You sure about that?”

“But they’re always fighting and they—” Luke broke off, replaying some of their bickering in his head. “Oh.”

“Yeah. _Oh_.”

He shook his head and laughed. “They’re gonna kill each other at some point.” After a moment, he grew serious again. “Thanks for telling me, though. I’d hate if you were leaving because of me.”

Sana snorted and turned her face into her hand, rubbing her forehead. “Oh, don’t get me wrong, Luke. I absolutely want to leave because of you. It’s just not anything you’ve done. It’s… just you.”

“I’m sorry?” Had he heard her right?

“I told you. I don’t… I don’t do this.” She gestured vaguely between them, and he heard Han’s words again: _Sana doesn’t like feelings… She starts having them, it’s time for her to go._

He shouldn’t push. He really shouldn’t, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Why not?”

She looked at him with a sense of mild amazement in her dark brown eyes and a faint smile. “You really don’t know why, do you? Because this is a good way to get hurt. Do you really not understand what you’re in for here? People are dying all around us, Luke. You can’t afford to get attached. What if—what if—”

“I’d survive it,” he said quietly, maybe a little grimmer than he meant to sound. “You think I don’t know what that’s like? Twice, Sana. It’s happened twice. And that doesn’t count the Empire murdering my family. Love—attachment—that’s all we’ve got. That and hope.”

This time Sana reached for his hand, and she didn’t let go. “Luke, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“I’m not as naive as everyone thinks.” He forced himself to meet her eyes, to let her see what he was feeling. “I know what the risks are. I know how short this life can be. That’s why I can’t hide from any of it.” He thought about the jacket in his closet, about the time he’d spent on board the _Desert Jewel_. “Biggs was my best friend my whole life. We loved each other and we almost never said anything about it. Even then, we waited until he was about to leave for good. I almost missed out on that. And with Nakari, she—” he stopped. That was still a little too fresh a loss. “I should have said something to her. And I didn’t. And now it’s too late.”

Sana’s only answer was to tighten her hand around his.

“I’m not waiting anymore,” he said. “What good does it do if I lock that part of myself away? Who does it help? No one. I’m done waiting for the right moment.” He took a deep breath. “I care about you, Sana. If you feel the same… why don’t we see what happens?” He looked up at her, and all could do was wait for her answer.

Sana chewed on her lower lip, turning her attention to the view out of the transparisteel. Finally she said, “Let me think about it.” She glanced back at him. “I do like you. There’s something special about you. I just—I don’t know.”

“Okay.” He could deal with that. 

“Will you… can you tell me about them?”

“Who?”

“The people you’ve lost. It’s okay if you can’t, or don’t want to,” Sana added quickly.

“You really want to know?”

She smiled. “Maybe I want to figure out how you manage to keep going.”

“Well…” He laid his head against the back of the couch, settling in. “The first thing you have to know is that Biggs was the best pilot any of us had ever seen.”

“I see the appeal already,” Sana teased.

Something in his chest loosened, and he smiled at her.

They talked for hours—or really, he talked. She still managed to keep from telling him a lot about herself. But that was okay. He could wait.

Finally after she’d yawned for the second time, he offered to walk with her back to the _Cobra_. She started to protest, but was cut off by a third yawn.

The ship was quiet, only the night shift crew out and about at this hour. She took his hand not long after they left the Observation Bay, and he had to fight the urge to grin like a fool as they walked hand in hand. 

They reached her ship, and both of them paused, standing on the threshold of something new and unnerving. 

“Thank you, sir.” Sana grinned. “I think I’m home safe now.”

“Can’t be too sure,” Luke responded in kind. “This is a rebellion, there could be all sorts of dangerous, disreputable types around.”

Sana was still holding on to his hand, and she pulled him closer. “Lucky for me I wasn’t alone.” 

“Oh. I thought you were protecting me.” He grinned up at her, where she was standing a little above him on the _Cobra’s_ ramp.

“You sure you can make it the rest of the way by yourself?” Sana’s eyes darted over his face before settling on his eyes. “Wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I think I’ll manage all right.” Both of them were speaking quieter, drifting closer with each breath. 

Sana closed the last of the distance, her free hand brushing up over his cheek and tilting his face up to meet hers. Her mouth was soft and warm against his, sending a flush of heat through his body. He squeezed her hand and let his other hand curl around her forearm, keeping her close.

She broke the kiss much too soon, but her eyes were soft when she looked at him. “Go get some rest,” she murmured. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Luke felt dazed, and he couldn’t help the smile on his face. “Okay.”

Sana gently nudged him away, laughing at him quietly. “Go, Luke. Good night.”

“Good night.”

It was possible his feet didn’t touch the deck the whole way back to his quarters.

#

He was whistling off-key when he went to breakfast the next morning.

“You’re cheery this morning,” Leia muttered sourly. 

Luke stopped self-consciously. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Does that mean that you and Sana finally talked to each other?” Leia grabbed a cup of caf and a protein bar, clearly planning for a breakfast on the run.

“What?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “She’s leaving, she’s not leaving, she actually waved at me this morning when she passed me. Now you’re—I’m not sure what you’re doing, but it sounds cheerful.”

She had him. Luke shrugged, feeling a little sheepish. “Yeah, we talked.”

“Good. It’s about time.”

“Oh, like you can talk,” Luke shot back. 

“What?” Leia, instantly on the defensive, whirled on him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Any doubt that he’d had about Sana’s theory about Han and Leia vanished. “No, I guess you don’t.”

“Ugh, you’re already starting to sound like her. Don’t forget we’ve got the briefing for the Lothal mission at 1300, okay?”

“I’ll be there.”

After breakfast, he couldn’t resist taking a path through the hangar bay that would take him past the _Volt Cobra_. Just on the off-chance that Sana was around. He’d replayed that kiss in his head a hundred times since the night before, reliving every detail, from the feel of her mouth against his to the scent of her skin to the soft breath she’d taken as they’d parted. It still didn’t seem real.

She was nowhere to be seen, but as he walked past, he heard, “Hey, Skywalker. Come here a minute.”

Luke broke into a smile and jogged up the _Cobra’s_ ramp. Sana was coming out of the cockpit—which must have been where she’d spotted him. 

“Hey,” he said.

“Morning.” There was something about her smile, he didn’t realize what it was until she’d slipped her arms around his waist and pulled him in close. 

This time the kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It curled his toes and he found himself with his hands on either side of her head, holding on for dear life until his back collided with the _Cobra’s_ bulkhead. Sana’s body was flush against his, and Luke briefly wondered if it was possible to drown in fire. The touch of her tongue against his lips was electric, sizzling down every nerve ending. The taste of her mouth made him want to weep. When she pulled away from him, she had a smug smile on her face. 

“I’m, uh, not complaining,” Luke said, trying to catch his breath, “but what happened to ‘I’ll think about it’?”

“I thought about it.”

“And?” Luke laughed.

“No promises, but we can see where this goes.” She kissed him quick and hard. “Still not here for your rebellion.”

He got it. She might still run. He might lose her anyway. But he was willing to take that chance, and he was pretty sure he’d feel that way even when he wasn’t addled by her kiss. “Seems like you might have some ideas about where this goes,” he murmured.

“I might, at that.” Sana pushed him back against the wall again, but he wriggled free, spinning out of her grasp until their positions were reversed. Her gasp of surprise was immensely satisfying.

“We should talk about those ideas,” he said. He probably had somewhere he should be right now, but for the first time in a long time, he didn’t care.

“Might need a demonstration,” she said, already pulling him back to her.

Before Luke could kiss her, the alarm klaxon sounded through the hangar, followed by an order for all pilots to scramble. “Blast,” Luke muttered.

“Sounds like we’re under attack.” Sana let him go and straightened her clothing. 

“It does. I’m sorry, I gotta—”

“I know.” She slipped her hand behind his neck and pulled him in for one more fierce kiss. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“Sana, you can’t—”

“I can and you don’t have time to argue. Go!”

She was right about that last part. Luke left her ship, stealing a glance behind him as he went.


End file.
